Water ski binding



June 7, 1966 Filed May 4, 1964 A. F. LOCKWOOD WATER SKI BINDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5) BUC/(HORN, BLORE, KLROU/ST 8 SPAR/(MAN ATTORNEYS ARL/E E LOCK WOOD /NVENTOR 3,254,352 WATER SKI BINDING Arlie F. Lockwood, 1908 NE. 118th Ave., Portland, Oreg. Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,578

Y 12 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) This invention relates to an improved water ski binding, and more particularly to a highly effective, simplified water ski heel binding.

In my lPatent 3,103,672 there are disclosed and claimed compact, highly effective water ski "bindings which are free from clogging by sand and are easily adjusted. kIt would be desirable to provide a ski binding which has all the advantages of the above-mentioned patented bindings and also is even more simple in construction, can be manufactured, assembled and adjusted even more easily and is even more compact than these patented bindings.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved water ski binding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a highly effective, simplified water ski heel binding.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water ski heel binding which has a minimum number of parts, is simple in construction, can be manufactured, assembled and adjusted easily and is very compact.

The invention provides a water ski binding having a heel binding including a base plate attachable to a ski and provided with a -guideway for receiving a frame. The frame and base plate have interlocking portions preferably integral therewith for adjustably holding the frame against -rearward movement along the guideway, and for normally holding the frame against detachment from .the base plate. A eXi-ble, heel-engaging cup member is secured to the frame. A heel binding forming a specific embodiment of the invention comprises a U-shaped base plate having opposed pairs of overhanging guides mounting an H-s'haped frame provided with interlocking portions adapted to engage rearwardly positioned stops integral with the base plate. The base plate also has an integral forward stop permitting a downwardly 'depending Iforward portion of the frame to be sprung thereover in assembling the frame on the base plate and preventing accidental removal of the frame from-the base plate after the assembling of the frame and base plate is effected.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of an improved water ski binding forming a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: v

FIG. 1 is a view, in perspective, of a water ski having an improved water ski binding forming one embodiment of the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of FIG. 1, with parts broken away, and illustrating the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation View of the binding of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary bottom plan View of the binding of FIG. l;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 6 6 of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is an enlarged, bottom plan View of a portion of the binding of FIG. 1; and A FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional View of a portion of the binding of FIG. 1 taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 4

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a typical water ski 10 having applied Ithereto a known toe binding 11 and a heel binding 12. The toe binding has a flexible vamp 14 AUnited States Patent O "ice which is secured along its edges, preferably by rivets, between a pair of metal members 15 and 16, The ilexifble vamp is preferably made of rubber or synthetic substitute therefor and is conventional, being secured to the upper surface of the ski by suitable means suc-h as screws 17. The heel binding 12 is longitudinally aligned with the .toe 'binding and comprises a substantially H-s'haped, die-cast, rigid frame 20 having spaced-apart, thickened, lateral edge anges or slides 21 which extend longitudinally of the ski, parallel to the longitudinal centerline thereof. The heel binding also has a flexible heel-holding cup 23 which is adapted to receive the heel of a user, overhanging the heel bone at the back of .the foot and embracing the sides of the heel. The cup is secured to the rigid frame 20 by a rigid die-cast, horseshoe-shaped member 24 which is provided with a plurality of integral, depending hollow rivet portions 25 which pass through suitable openings 26 in the rigid member 20 and are expanded at their lower ends to make a unitary construction of the three pieces.

The heel binding 12 is retained for limited longitudinal movement on the ski by a substantially U-shaped ibase plate 28, the arms of which u nderlie the arms of the frame 20. Each arm of the base plate 28 is provided with a pair of overhanging, L-shaped forward and rear guides 29 and 30, respectively. Each of the guides overhangs the adjacent lateral ange or slide 21 of the frame, and has an inner, vertical, rounded guiding rib 27 (FIGS. 5 'and 6) engaging the outer edge of the slide 21 adjacent thereto to provide low friction guiding surfaces. The

base plate has openings 31 and 32 to facilitate .the diecasting thereof and also has strengthening ribs 33 on the fbottom thereof. Gauging projections 36 are provided at the rear end of the frame. Raised bottom guides 34 and 35 present small surfaces of contact to the undersides of the slides 21. The movable frame is thereby guided by four guides and rests upon four upwardly positioned, short bottom guides so as to be supported for movement with a minimum of friction and in such manner that sand cannot accumulate between the guiding and guided surfaces.

The base plate 28 (FIG. 2) has at the corners thereof -four countersunk holes 40 through which screws 41 extend. The screws are threaded into the ski 10 to firmly secure the base plate to the ski, the heads of the screws Ibeing covered by the frame 20 when the frame is assembled with the base plate so that the screws are not visible in the assembled heel binding. The base plate has, at the rear end of the openings 31 and 32, a pair of upwardly and forwardly projecting rear stops or teeth 45 (FIGS. 2 and 4) supported in positions raised above the top of the base plate by posts 46. The teeth are adapted to interlock selectively with downwardly and rearwardly projecting teeth 47 formed integrally with the frame 20 and spaced along rearwardly positioned, opposite side portions of the bottom of the yframe to define a pair of rack portions. Interengaging surfaces 48 and 49 (FIG. 8) of the teeth 45 and 47, respectively, preferably form angles of about 55 with the vertical. The tips of theteeth 47 are adapted to engage the rugged posts 46 to limit rearward movement of the frame 20 relative to the base plate 28.

The base plate 28 has a pair of forwardly positioned, front stops or detent teeth 51 (FIG. 4) having forwardly' and upwardly sloping, inclined, oamming surfaces 52 and substantially vertical, forward stop surfaces 54. The stops 51 are located at the inner edges of the arms of the plate 28 slightly forwardly of the hook-like guides 29. The frame with the cup 23 aixedthereto may be first under the guides 30 and then under the guides 29 and over the inclined camming surfaces 52. As this latter portion of the movement of the frame occurs, downwardly depending, front flanges or skirt portions 61 of the arms of the frame engage the inclined camming surfaces 52 and the larms of the frame'are temporarily twisted or sprung slightly until the flanges 61 snap over the stops 51. The flanges 61 then project below the tips of the `stops 51 and prevent the frame 20 from accidentally sliding backwardly out of the guides 29 and 30. The front stops also act to hold the frame in its extreme rearward adjusted position for skiing. The upper, rear portions of the posts 46 are adapted to engage downwardly depending rear flanges of skirt portions 62 of the frame 20 to limit extreme forward movement of the frame relative to the base plate. The frame may be removed from the base plate by placing Screwdrivers under the front flanges 61 and lifting them until they clear the front stops 51 and then sliding the frame rearwardly until the front flanges 61 are behind the front stops 51. -The teeth 45 are sufliciently low that the front flanges 61 clear the teeth 45.

The frame 20 may be adjusted merely by grasping the small, rearwardly positioned handle 70, lifting the rear end of the frame until the teeth 47 are above the tooth 45, then pushing or pulling the frame forwardly 'or rearwardly to the desired position and then releasing the handle. Gravity and/or rearward pressure of the user on the upper portion of the cup 23 then forces the adjacent teeth 47 into interlocking engagement with the teeth 4S, or, in the extreme rearward position, the skirts 61 against the front stops 51. During use, the rearward pressure of the users vankle on the resilient cup 23 keeps the teeth 47 pressed downwardly and in interlocking engagement with the teeth 45.

The heel binding 12 includes only the frame 20base plate 28 and member 24 of metal, all of which are preferably composed `of die-cast, high strength aluminum alloy, together with the cup 23 and four screws. It'is very narrow in overall width to accommodate it to narrow skis and is rugged and durable while being very attractive in appearance. The binding 12 is easily manu- -factured and also is easily assembled and disassembled.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a water ski heel binding,

a generally U-shaped base plate having a pair of arms provided with a pair of opposed, hook-shaped front guides at the outer edges thereof and a pail of opposed, hook-shaped rear guides at the outer edges thereof, i

the arms of the base plate also having a pair of upwardly projecting front stops adjacent to and spaced inwardly from the front guides and having upwardly and forwardly inclined camming surfaces,

the arms of the base plate also having upwardly and forwardly projecting rear teeth,

a cup,

a retainer member for holding the cup,

and a frame carrying the cup and retainer member and having la pair of channel-like arms having guide portions at the outer ends thereof slidable under and between the front and rear guides and also having front flanges depending downwardly adapted to engage the camming surfaces and twist the farms to permit the front flanges to be moved forwardly over the front stops,

the frame also having rows of teeth extending rearwardly and downwardly for engaging the rear teeth of the base plate.

2. The w-ater ski heel binding of claim 1 wherein the base plate includes a plurality of raised guide members for engaging slidably the guide portions of the arms of the frame.

3. In a water ski heel binding,

a frame having a pair of arms provided with guide portions at the outer edges thereof and also having downwardly depending front flanges,

the frame also having a plurality of pairs of interlocking portions spaced therealong,

a base plate adapted to be secured to a water ski and having a pair of arms provided with opposed, overh'anging guide members slidably receiving the guide portions of the frame, v

and holding lmeans fixed relative to the base plate for engaging selectively the pairs of interlocking portions of the frame to hold the frame against rearward movement relative to the base plate,

the frame having a downwardly depending stop member,

the base plate having an upwardly extending stop positioned to engage the stop member of the frame and limit rearward movement of the frame relative to the base plate,

the frame being flexible to permit the stop member to be raised above the stop to assemble the frame with the base plate and remove the frame from the base plate.

4. The water ski heel binding of claim 3 wherein one of the stop and the stop member is provided with a camuning surface spaced laterally inwardly from the guide members for twisting the frame to permit the stop member to be moved forwardly over the stop into latched relationship therewith.

5. In a water ski heel binding,

base plate means having a pair of arms having lscrew holes therein and adapted to be fixed to a water ski,

a plurality of screws projecting through the holes to fix the base plate means to a ski,

a cup,

a cup-holding frame having a pair of arms,

and guide means mounting the frame slidably on the base plate means in positions in which the arms of the frame cover the arms of the base plate means and the screws,

the base plate means being provided with upwardly projecting teeth and the frame having downwardly projecting teeth adapted to interlock with teeth of the base plate means,

the base plate means having integrally therewith an upwardly projecting stop,

the frame including downwardly projecting stop means for engaging the stop,

the frame being flexible to permit the stop means to be raised above the stop.

6. In a water ski heel binding,

a frame having a pair of arms provided with guide portions at the outer edges thereof,

the frame also having a plurality of pairs of interlocking portions spaced therealong,

a base plate adapted to be secured to a water ski and having a pair of arms provided with opposed, overhanging guide members slidably receiving the guide portions of the frame,

holding means fixed relative to the base plate for engaging selectively the pairs of interlocking portions of the frame to hold the frame against rearward movement relative to the base plate,

a first stop means secured to the base plate in an upwardly extending position spaced inwardly from the louter edge of one of the arms of the base plate,

and second stop means secured to the frame in a downwardly extending position and adapted to engage the first stop means and limit movement of the frame along the base plate,

the frame normally positioning the second stop means in overlapping relationship to the first stop =means and being sufficiently flexible to permit the second stop means to be raised above the rst stop means to permit the frame to be slid into the .base plate to assemble the frame with the base plate.

7. In a water ski heel binding,

base plate means having a pair of arms having screw holes therein and adapted to be iixed to a Water ski,

a plurality of screws projecting through the holes to tix the base plate means to a ski,

a cup,

a cup-holding frame having a pair of arms,

and guide means mounting the frame slidably on the base plate means in positions in which the arms of the frame cover the arms of the base plate means and the screws,

the base plate means being provided with upwardly projecting teeth,

the frame being provided with downwardly projecting teeth adapted to interlock with teeth of the base plate means, v

the base plate means also being provided with an up wardly projecting stop,

the frame including downwardly projecting stop means for engaging the stop,

the guide means normally holding the frame sufficiently close to t-he base plate that the stop means cannot move past the stop,

the frame being sufficiently exible that it can be temporarily flexed to an extent permitting the stop means to clear the stop so that the frame can be inserted into the base plate during assembly of the frame and the base plate.

8. In a water ski heel binding,

a generally U-shaped base plate having a pair of arms provided with a pair of opposed, hook-shaped front guides at the outer edges thereof and a pair of opposed, hook-shaped rear guides at the outer edges thereof,

the arms of the base plate also having a pair of upwardly projecting stops spaced inwardly from the guides,

the arms of the base plate also having upwardly and forwardly projecting rear teeth, i

a cup,

a retainer member for holding the cup,

and a frame carrying the cup and the retainer member and having a pair of channel-like arms having guide portions at the outer ends thereof slidable under and between the front and rear guides and also having stop members depending downwardly and adapted to engage said stops to limit movement of the frame relative to the base plate,

the stops and stop members being positioned inwardly from the guides and the frame being sufliciently flexible to lift the stop members above the stops to permit the frame to be slid intol the guides,

the frame also having rows of teeth extending rearwardly and'downwardly for engaging the rear teeth of the base plate.

9. The water ski heel binding of claim 8 wherein the stops and stop members are provided with inclined tips permitting the frame to be slid into the guides. 10. In a water ski heel binding,

a base plate having screw holes therethrough for receiving screws to attach the base plate to a ski and also being provided with a pair of parallel, platelike .arms adapted to lie on the ski,

the arms being provided at the upper faces thereof with integral raised portions and having at the outer edges thereof integral, hook-like guide members having portions overhanging the raised portions and 6 spaced predetermined distances upwardly from the raised portions, and a frame having a pair of parallel arms provided with guide portions at the outer edges thereof adapted to rest on and slide along the raised portions and under the overhanging portions of the guide members, I

the frame and the base plate having portions interlockable at selected positions of adjustment of the frame `along the base plate land releasable when the rear portion of the frame is raised a predetermined distance relative to the base plate,

the overhanging portions of the guide members being so positioned as to permit the rear portion of the frame to be raised said predetermined distance relative to the base plate,

the base plate and the frame each being provided with stop means integral therewith and the stop means serving to limit the movement of the fra-me relative to the base to an extreme forward position and an extreme rearward position,

the frame being slightly flexible and the -stop means of the frame being raised above the stop means yof the base plate when the frame is flexed to permit the frame to -be slid into the guide members.

11. The water ski heel binding of claim 7 wherein the stop means are positioned inwardly from the inner ends of the overhanging portions of the guide members to allow the stop means of the frame to be raised when the frame is flexed.

12. In a water ski heel binding,

a generally U-shaped base plate having a pair of anns provided at the outer edges thereof with a pair of opposed, hook-shaped front guides and a pair of opposed, hook-shaped rear guides,

one yof the arms of the base plate also having an upwardly projecting stop spaced inwardly from the guides,

the arms of the base plate also having upwardly and forwardly projecting rear teeth,

a cup,

a retainer member for holding the cup,

and a generallyH-shaped, exible frame carrying the cup and retainer member and having a pair of channel-like arms, y

the arms having guide portions at the outer edges thereof slidable under and between the front and Arear guides,

one arm of the frame also having a pair of stop members depending downwardly therefrom and spaced therealong and adapted to engage the stop of said one of the arms of the base plate to limit the extremes of movement of the frame relative to the base plate,

one -of the stops and the front stop member having a camming surface adapted to raise the stop member over the stop when the frame is moved forwardly into the guides,

the frame being llexible to permit the front stop member to be raised above the stop,

the frame also having rows of teeth extending rearwardly and downwardly for engaging the rear teeth lof the base plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,866,210 12/ 1958 Romig 9--310 2,933,740 4/ 1960 Maples 9-310 2,970,325 2/ 1961 Moline et al 9--310 3,103,672 9/ 1963 Lockwood 9-310 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, Examiner. 

3. IN A WATER SKI HEEL BINDING, A FRAME HAVING A PAIR OF ARMS PROVIDED WITH GUIDE PORTIONS AT THE OUTER EDGES THEREOF AND ALSO HAVING DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING FRONT FLANGES, THE FRAME ALSO HAVING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF INTERLOCKING PORTIONS SPACED THEREALONG, A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A WATER SKI AND HAVING A PAIR OF ARMS PROVIDED WITH OPPOSED, OVERHANGING GUIDE MEMBERS SLIDABLY RECEIVING THE GUIDE PORTIONS OF THE FRAME, AND HOLDING MEANS FIXED RELATIVE TO THE BASE PLATE FOR ENGAGING SELECTIVELY THE PAIRS OF INTERLOCKING PORTIONS OF THE FRAME TO HOLD THE FRAME AGAINST THE REARWARD MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE BASE PLATE, THE FRAME HAVING A DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING STOP MEMBER, THE BASE PLATE HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING STOP POSITIONED TO ENGAGE THE STOP MEMBER OF THE FRAME AND LIMIT REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FRAME RELATIVE TO THE BASE PLATE, THE FRAME BEING FLEXIBLE TO PERMIT THE STOP MEMBER TO THE RAISED ABOVE THE STOP TO ASSEMBLE THE FRAME WITH THE BASE PLATE AND REMOVE THE FRAME FROM THE BASE PLATE. 